Brother & Sister Hughes - Vietnam

  February 19, 2024   Dear Family and friends,    We go to church at different branch every week. There are 11 branches. They vary in size quite a bit and in strength. We have seen progress in the sacrament meetings being more focused on Christ and talks using more scriptures and quotes. We are also hearing about some branches putting together their “share the gospel plan” as suggested in the handbook and after we have done training about it. We have branches starting to hold coordination councils as well. They are struggling to see the importance of having a branch council weekly. It has been something President Hughes has asked them to do for 2 years. Having said that we are sooo grateful for our Branch presidents and District presidents. We are grateful new members accept callings. They have no idea what they are supposed to do and some really want to learn and others just quit or move branches to get out of callings They have never had to sacrifice or serve like ...

That means Happy New year in Vietnamese. Vietnam is celebrating the Lunar new year or theater of Spring. They call the holiday, Tet. It is an official government holiday and almost everything shuts down for 3 days up to 2 weeks. The shops are not open, the little restaurants are not serving food but surprisingly this afternoon the streets were busy. A lot of motorcycles with families on them going to their extended family to celebrate. People are boiling giant pots with Chung cake in them. It takes hours and hours for it to be cooked. Families or church Branches  gather and talk and keep the fire going sometimes through the night. Chung cake is a small amount of pork surrounded by mung beans then rice that becomes glutinous from the process. They are wrapped in banana leaves and boiled. There is a street dedicated to decorations in Hanoi and during Tet it is so fun to walk down. There are so many people and so many decorations out.  We enjoyed a yummy lunch today with the pare...